Advancing Neighborhood Sustainability

Category: EcoDistrict update

Hello Neighbors!

It’s been an incredible month. Pridefest is over but the rainbow sidewalksand SCOTUS decision(s) remain. July is here. We urge you to stay hydrated and check out the latest goings on in your EcoDistrict.

Do you want to learn more about sustainability in your neighborhood? Join us for a Capitol Hill Sustainability Social on Monday July 6th! Meet your neighbors, hear from interesting organizations and enjoy delicious food and drink from Capitol Cider. RSVP here.

“Innovation in parking systems is an important way for communities to forge a low carbon, economically inclusive future.”

Last month we released a report on District Shared Parking, outlining the potential for a new parking management strategy in Pike Pine. You can read the full report here.

Volunteers Needed! Help make the Pedestrian Streets Pilot a success!

As part of the Pike Pine Pedestrian Streets Pilot happening in August, we are looking for volunteers to help with everything from data collection to set up to management. This work is crucial to the ensuring a safe, fun and positive street closure experience for everyone. Email Arielle at alawson@capitolhillhousing.org if interested.

The Capitol Hill Sustainability Social will be an informal opportunity to get together and chat. Meet your neighbors, hear from interesting organizations and enjoy delicious food and drink from Capitol Cider! 6-8pm, Capitol Cider, basement room, 818 E. Pike St. RSVP here.

With our Community Solar project fully subscribed, it’s time to celebrate! Seattle City Light is throwing a party in Cal Anderson Park to recognize all of the Community Solar participants and projects, including our project on the Holiday Apartments! Join us for music, ice cream and to hear about this awesome work. 1:30-2:30pm, Cal Anderson Park (N. of Shelter House), 1635 11th Ave. RSVP here.

Hello EcoDistrict supporters, enthusiasts and friends!

After months of work we’ve finally released our District Shared Parking report. We’re also getting feedback on piloting Pedestrian Streets in Pike/Pine. Check out these updates as well as Joel Sisolak’s latest blog post and learn how you can take action to promote a sustainable and equitable community.

Experimentation and shared learning are critical in resource management and in shared housing. The model also applies in urban neighborhoods. Read Joel’s blog post hereto learn more (originally posted on the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog here).

Piloting Pedestrian Streets in Pike/Pine – we want your feedback!

The EcoDistrict is The Capitol Hill EcoDistrict is leading a community engagement and planning process – in partnership with other community groups and City departments – about piloting pedestrian-only streets in Pike/Pine a couple times this August.

We have some exciting news to share! Thanks to the vision, hard work and support of a whole lot of people, Community Solar is now a reality on Capitol Hill – and, as of this week, fully SOLD OUT! Thank you to everyone who participated and made this exciting development possible.

Check out the rest of our updates below to learn about the exciting things happening in our neighborhood and see how you can take action to promote a sustainable and equitable community. Thank you for your ongoing interest and support.

Community Solar – Capitol Hill is SOLD OUT! Participants, including our EcoDistrict Solar Sponsors, will be receiving credits back on their utility bills from the energy produced. In 2020, the system will then be donated to Capitol Hill Housing to continue to support affordable housing in the neighborhood. Thanks to everyone who supported the project!(And stay tuned for a Community Solar celebration event happening this summer!)

May is Bike Month! And there is a LOT going on. Check out all the events coming up, especially Bike to Work Day on May 15th! See below for more information.

Reflections on Earth Day On Capitol Hill we celebrated Earth Day at a Climate Action Festival hosted at Seattle Central College. Didn’t get to make it? Catch a recap of the event here.

THURSDAY MAY 15th: Bike to Work Day!

We’ll be celebrating all of our awesome bike commuters with a Bike to Work Station co-hosted with Sustainable Capitol Hill at 12th and Pine in Capitol Hill. Bike on by between 7-9 am for some tasty treats and fun activities! Check out all the stations here.

This month’s Capitol Hill Community Council meeting will be an opportunity to learn about and share your opinions on the idea of creating temporary pedestrian street(s) in Pike/Pine. More information coming soon! 6:30pm, Pike/Pine Room, 12th Ave Arts Building (1620 12th Ave)

Check out our updates below to learn about the exciting things happening in our neighborhood and see how you can take action to promote a sustainable and equitable community. Thank you for your ongoing interest and support.

EcoDistrict Receives Equity and Environment Award The EcoDistrict is a proud recipient of a Futurewise 2015 Livable Communities Award for Equity and Environment.Learn more about the award.

Diving into the “Dumpster Issue” As reported in the CHS Blog, we are working with the City of Seattle, Recology CleanScapes, the Capitol Hill Chamber and local businesses to identify alternatives to the permanent placement of dumpsters on sidewalks and in parking spaces within Capitol Hill’s retail corridors. As residents and day workers know, the dumpsters are a health and safety hazard and after a weekend can be downright nasty come Monday morning.

A Tool Library Comes to Capitol Hill! Our EcoDistrict Spotlight series highlights the awesome things that are happening in our neighborhood. Read our first feature on the Capitol Hill Tool Library!

It’s Solar Season! With the Spring Equinox officially behind us, we are well on our way to more sunshine–and down to the final 100 units of our Community Solar project. Buy in today to show that Community Solar works and matters in Seattle! (Our project was also recently featured in a Grist article highlighting the sharing economy!)

SPRING IS IN THE AIR!And with the sunshine comes new growth and possibilities! Check out our updates below to learn about the exciting projects that we’re working on and see how you can take action to promote neighborhood sustainability. Thank you for your ongoing interest and support.Spring Comes to the Pollinator Pathway Last weekend, on a beautiful sunny Saturday we walked along Columbia Street on Sarah Bergmann’s interdisciplinary design project, the Pollinator Pathway, knocking on doors and talking to neighbors to invite their participation in the project. Learn more and get involved!

TAKE ACTION: Less than 250 units of Community Solar left!We are ¾ of the way there and NOW is your chance to go #CommunitySolar. The array on the Holiday Apartments has generated over 2400 kWh since it went live in late November (that’s the CO2 equivalent of over 43 trees)!

The Capitol Hill EcoDistrict is off to a strong start for 2015 It’s been a quite a busy beginning of the year in the EcoDistrict. We have some important updates to share and exciting ways for you to participate! Thank you for your ongoing interest.

UDATE: The Capitol Hill EcoDistrict is official! City Council Resolution 31562, which formally recognizes the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict, was unanimously passed by City Council this past Monday. Thanks to everyone who supported its passage, including representatives from the Capitol Hill Chamber, PPUNC, the Capitol Hill Community Council, 12th Avenue Stewards, Seattle 2030 District, Capitol Hill Housing, and the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict Steering Committee. We will return to the Council in the 3rd Quarter with a report on how the EcoDistrict and City are collaborating in meeting community sustainability goals. Read more about Resolution 31562 here, here where Sally Clark asks if every urban village should be an EcoDistrict, and here.

UPDATE: EcoDistrict Index Launched! After months of hard work, data collection and discussion, the first set of indicators for the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict Index is complete! The Index will track neighborhood progress towards achieving performance targets within the EcoDistrict and serve as a tool for broader community engagement and feedback. Read more here.

TAKE ACTION: Buy in to Community Solar!

The Community Solar project on the Holiday Apartments has generated over 1300 kWh since it went live in late November (that’s the CO2 equivalent of over 23 trees)! There’s a limited quantity of solar units left, so sign up today!

It’s been a busy few weeks – We moved our office to 12th Avenue Arts, launched a community solar program (more below), and unveiled this website!

Monthly updates are new, too. Our mini-dispatches will feature the latest news from the EcoDistrict. We promise to keep it short – with important info and clear invitations to action.

Let us know what you think! If you like what you see, please share with your friends and colleagues. If you have suggestions on content you’d like to see here, send them our way.

Community Solar is Launched

Our biggest news is the official launch of Capitol Hill Community Solar, a collaborative venture with Seattle City Light. You may have heard about it in the Seattle Weekly or Capitol Hill Seattle blog. You can “buy in” to the program for as little as $150 spread across your next two electric bills. The more solar units you buy, the more you’ll benefit affordable housing, local jobs and the growing clean energy sector AND the more you stand to save on your electric bill.

NOTE: You’ll need your Seattle City Light account number to sign up. If you don’t have your account number handy, there’s a phone number on the page you can call to get it during business hours. Once you enter your account number, you’ll be able to choose to support the Capitol Hill project.